Device for opening and closing windows, shutters, and similar appliances



Nov. 30,1926. 1,609,219 J. L. sTowERs' DEVICE FOR OPENING AND cLosmewmnows, SHUTTERS, AND SIMILAR APPLIANCES drigiual Filed July 2 1924ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. STOWERS, OF HABANA, CUBA.

DEVICE FOR OPENING AND CLOSING WINDOWS, SHUT'IEES, AND SIMILAR APPLI-ANCES.

Original application filed July 26, 1924, Serial No. 728,514. Dividedand this application filed. September My invention relates to amechanism by which windows, shutters, doors, and other similarappliances are opened or closed by the application of the weight of aliquid utilized as the power or force for the opening or closing of suchappliances, and upon the automatic removal of such weight saidappliances are closed or opened, as the case may be, by force ofgravity.

The objects of my device and mechanism are to provide means wherebywindows, shutters, doors, and similar appliances, designated in theclaim as pivoted closures, may be closed or opened upon the occurrenceof any predetermined condition, or at any predetermined time, as forexample, when rain begins to fall, or when rain ceases to fall, andthese objects are attained by the automatic use of the weight of therain either for the opening or the closing of the windows, shutters,doors, etc., when rain begins to fall, and means for automaticallyremoving said weight when rain ceases to fall, thereby permitting saidwindows, doors,

shutters, etc., to be opened or closed, as the case may be, by the forceof gravity.

I attain these objects by the mechanism'illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which- Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a section of roofand wall of a building provided with one form of my invention; Fig. 2 isa plan View of the structure shown in Fig. 1 on the lines 22; Fig. 3 isa detailed view, partly in section, of portions of the structure shownin Fig. 1 on the lines 33; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view ofa portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Similar letters and numerals refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

In the form of my invention shown in the several figures the roof, 1, isprovided with the usual gutter, 2, for the discharge of rain waterfalling on the roof, which gutter may be located as desired.

The gutter, 2, is provided with an orifice, 3, to which is connected aroot leader drain, 3, and thence to the connecting pipe, 31, which leadsto the receptacle, 32. which is provided with a discharge outlet, 33,through which it passes and falls into the receptacle, 5. As soon as thereceptacle, 32, is filled with water, receptacle, 32, takes the positionshown in the dotted lines in Fig. 1, thereby Serial No. 57,082.

When the window is closed, the water dripping from the receptacle, 32,through the drip out-let, 33, falls into the receptacle, 5, and keepsthe receptacle, 5, filled by taking the place of the water dripping fromthe receptacle, 5, through the drip, 12.

lVhen the rain ceases the drip openings, 33 and 12, emptythereceptacles, 32 and 5, respectively, and when these receptacles areempty the window or shutter opens and takes the position shown in Fig.1, and is secured in the open position vby the catch or hook, 37.

When the receptacle, 32, is filled the weight of the liquid it containsmoves it to the position shown in the dotted lines of Fig. 1, whichmovement revolves the inner tube, 31, closes the orifice, 41, and stopsthe flow of water through the orifices, 10 and 41.

A horizontal bar or rod may be secured to a horizontal line of windows,one of which is operated by the structure shown in Fig. 1, whereby whenone window is closed by the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 its movementcloses the horizontal line of windows, shutters, etc., which are securedto such horizontal rod. By connecting the windows which form ahorizontal row with the windows of one or more rows above or below, thewindows on one side of the building may be operated by my mechanismapplied to a single window.

If desired to facilitate the opening of the window an adjustable weight,13, may be attached to the inside of the upper portion or sash of thewindow or shutter, either directly or by an adjusting arm, or the windowor shutter may be pivoted slightly below its horizontal center, 8, inwhich construction the heavier weight of that portion of the window orshutter above the pivots will tend normally to open the Window orshutter and keep it open. The receptacle, 5, is secured to the outsidebottom portion of the window or shutter as shown in Fig. 1.

The receptacle, 32, is attached to the arm, 35, which extends to theinterior of the building and this arm is provided with an adjustableweight, 36, which may be moved along the arm to secure the properadjustment and operation of the parts.

Surrounding the inner tube, 31, is a tube, 38, whose interiorcircumference is substantially the same size as the exteriorcircumference of the inner tube, 31,but of a suitable size to permit theinner tube, 31, to revolve within the tube, 33. The tube, 38, has anopening, 39, into which the pipe, 3, extends, as shown in Fig. 3. Theinner tube, 31, has an opening, 10, which is opposite to the opening,11, in the tube, 38, when the parts are in the position shown in thesolid lines in Fig. 1, thereby forming a passage for the liquid. lVhentheparts are in the position shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 1, theinner tube, 31, closes the opening, 11, in the tube, 38, thereby closingthe passage, 4O l1. The tube, 31, is provided with a plug opening, 35,to facilitate the cleaning of the interior of the tube. The opening fromthe gutter, 2, to the leader drain pipe, 3, is protected by a screen,43, to prevent the passage of dirt and refuse. The leader pipe, 3-,discharges into the opening, 30, in the inner tube, 31, which conductsthe liquid to the receptacle, 32, and supplies the operating medium forthe receptacles, 32 and 5.

In the foregoing description of the operation of my device, I havedescribed rain water as a liquid operating medium, but it is obviousthat any liquid may be used, and other water than rain water may beemployed. For example, my device may be utilized for the opening orclosing of windows, shutters, doors, etc., at night, or in the morning,or for the operation of fire shutters, and the liquid operating mediummay be water from a tank on the roof or from a pump, or any other sourceof supply, and mydevice may be put into operation for the closing ofsuch windows and shutters in the event of danger from fire, or othercause. It

is also obvious that my device may be made operative for either openingor closing windows, shutters, doors, etc., at any predetermined time orunder any predetermined conditions of weather, temperature, etc., byapplying a liquid or fluid operating medium from a tank, pump, or othersource of supply, which may be put into operation by a clock mechanism,thermostat, electric current, electric fuse, or other similar device.

This application is a divisional application of my application filedJuly 26, 1924., Serial No. 728,514, which application was for devicesfor opening and closing windows, shutters, and similar appliances.

1 claim:

A device for opening and closing pivoted closures consisting of avertically movable liquid-holding receptacle secured to the outside ofthe lower portion of the pivoted closure member, said receptacle beingprovided with a discharging outlet; a second receptacle and a tubeconnecting it with a roof drain, said receptacle being located on apivoted arm and provided with a discharging outlet; said firstreceptacle being located in position to be filled by liquid dischargingfrom said second receptacle; a pivoted arm secured to said secondreceptacle and extending into the building, having adjusta-bly mountedon its inner end a counterweight and a fastening which clamps theclosure member when the closure member is in its open position; saidconnecting tube including cross tubes, one of which cross tubes enclosesthe other cross tube and is of substantially the same inside diameterthe outside diameter of the other cross tube, said cross tubes beingprovided with outlets which conform with each other and are openpermitting the discharge of liquid from said roof drain into said secondreceptacle when said second receptacle is empty, and which are closedwhen said second receptacle is filled with liquid.

JOHN L. STOWERS.

